Chapter 9 - The Father at the DoorBrody never reached Nora’s hospital room.
He made it as far as the maternity lobby.
Then he sat down.
Security found him ten minutes later holding a stuffed rabbit and crying.
No weapon.
No disguise.
No plan.
Just a frightened man who had made one more terrible decision.
Nora learned the truth later.
Brody had not escaped because he wanted to hurt her.
He had been transported to a medical facility after suffering a panic attack.
At the emergency department, an officer briefly removed one restraint.
Brody ran.
He bought a stuffed rabbit from the hospital gift shop.
Then went upstairs.
When security approached, he raised his hands.
“I just wanted to see my daughter.”
Lorenzo wanted him removed immediately.
Nora surprised him.
“Let me talk to him.”
“No.”
“Lorenzo.”
“He escaped police custody.”
“I know.”
“He threatened you.”
“He also surrendered.”
“That doesn’t erase anything.”
“I didn’t say it did.”
Lorenzo looked toward sleeping Lily.
“What if he tries something?”
“He won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“No.”
Nora looked at him.
“But I need to decide what kind of mother I am going to be.”
That ended the argument.
Brody was brought to a secured consultation room.
Two officers remained outside.
Nora entered alone.
He looked thinner.
Older.
The stuffed rabbit sat on the table.
“Hi.”
Nora sat opposite him.
“You’re an idiot.”
He laughed weakly.
“Yeah.”
“You escaped custody.”
“I panicked.”
“You always panic.”
“I know.”
For once, he did not make excuses.
Nora folded her hands.
“Why are you here?”
“To see her.”
“No.”
Brody looked confused.
“That’s not enough.”
His eyes filled.
“I wanted to know she was okay.”
“She is.”
“Can I see a picture?”
Nora hesitated.
Then showed him one.
Brody covered his mouth.
“She’s beautiful.”
“Yes.”
“She looks like you.”
“Thank God.”
He laughed through tears.
Then became serious.
“I’m going to plead guilty.”
Nora looked up.
“To everything.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m tired.”
“That isn’t a reason.”
“I’m tired of trying to escape consequences.”
That sounded different from the man she had known.
Brody pushed the stuffed rabbit toward her.
“For Lily.”
Nora picked it up.
“Thank you.”
“I don’t expect you to forgive me.”
“I don’t.”
He nodded.
“But I hope you get better.”
“I’m going to try.”
She stood.
Brody looked at her.
“Is Moretti good to you?”
Nora almost laughed.
“You don’t get to ask that.”
“Fair.”
She reached the door.
“Nora?”
She turned.
“I did love you.”
Her expression softened.
“I think part of you did.”
“That’s not enough.”
“No.”
“It never was.”
Nora left.
Brody returned to custody.
He eventually accepted a plea agreement requiring prison time, restitution, and cooperation against Victor Kane.
Nora felt no satisfaction.
Only closure.
When she returned to her room, Lorenzo was sitting with Lily asleep against his chest.
The image stopped her.
“You look comfortable.”
“I haven’t moved in twenty minutes.”
“Why?”
“I’m afraid she’ll wake up.”
Nora smiled.
“You’ve faced armed men.”
“She’s smaller.”
“That’s your logic?”
“Yes.”
Nora climbed into bed.
Lorenzo transferred Lily to the bassinet.
Then he sat beside Nora.
“What happened?”
“Brody is pleading guilty.”
“Good.”
“He gave Lily a rabbit.”
Lorenzo frowned.
“I can buy a better rabbit.”
Nora stared.
“Are you jealous of a stuffed animal?”
“No.”
“You are.”
“I dislike the source.”
She laughed.
Then became serious.
“Lorenzo.”
He looked at her.
“I’m afraid.”
“Of Brody?”
“No.”
“You?”
His expression softened.
“Why?”
“Because this feels too safe.”
He waited.
Nora struggled to explain.
“My whole life, whenever things became comfortable, something happened.”
“My mother died when I was young. My dad drank after that. Brody seemed like stability, and then everything collapsed.”
She looked toward Lily.
“Sometimes I think if I trust this, I’m being stupid.”
Lorenzo moved closer.
“I can’t promise nothing bad will ever happen.”
“I know.”
“I can promise you’ll never face it alone unless you choose to.”
Nora’s eyes burned.
“That is dangerously close to being romantic.”
“I practiced.”
She laughed.
He reached into his pocket.
Nora’s eyes widened.
“If that’s a ring, I’m throwing it out the window.”
Lorenzo actually laughed.
“It isn’t.”
He removed a key.
“What’s that?”
“Your own apartment.”
Nora blinked.
“Excuse me?”
“It’s on the estate property but separate from the main house.”
“You bought me an apartment?”
“No.”
He placed the key in her palm.
“It belongs to the estate. You can use it as long as you want. Or leave tomorrow. No obligation.”
Nora stared at him.
“I thought you might want somewhere that feels like yours.”
That was more meaningful than jewelry.
“You really do listen.”
“Occasionally.”
She closed her fingers around the key.
“Thank you.”
Lorenzo leaned closer.
“May I kiss you?”
Nora smiled.
“You ask?”
“With you, yes.”
She touched his cheek.
“Yes.”
Their first kiss was gentle.
No dramatic music.
No witnesses.
No promises.
Just two tired people sitting beside a newborn baby, choosing something uncertain.
Three months passed.
Giovanni became stronger.
He could walk short distances with a cane.
Nora began training for her new foundation role.
Lorenzo completed the sale of several questionable businesses and announced a major restructuring of Moretti Holdings.
Victor Kane went to trial.
Mrs. Gable accepted a plea deal.
The Moretti empire changed.
Then, one morning, Giovanni called Nora into his study.
He looked unusually serious.
“What did I do?”
Giovanni smiled.
“Sit.”
Nora sat.
He placed a folder on the desk.
Not another job offer.
Something else.
A trust.
For Lily.
Nora immediately shook her head.
“No.”
Giovanni frowned.
“No?”
“I appreciate it. But no.”
He tapped his cane.
“Why?”
“Because Lily shouldn’t grow up thinking people love her because of money.”
Giovanni stared.
Nora continued.
“She can have opportunities. Education. Safety. But not millions waiting for her simply because you love her.”
Giovanni’s eyes softened.
“You… strange woman.”
Nora smiled.
“I’ve been called worse.”
He closed the folder.
“Education?”
“Yes.”
“Home?”
“Yes.”
“Medical?”
“Yes.”
“Twenty million?”
“No.”
He sighed dramatically.
Nora laughed.
The door opened.
Lorenzo entered.
“What’s happening?”
“Your father is trying to make my infant daughter obscenely wealthy.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“He does that.”
Giovanni looked offended.
Then he surprised them both.
He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket.
Nora stared at Lorenzo.
Lorenzo stared at Giovanni.
“Dad.”
Giovanni smiled.
“Not mine.”
He handed it to Lorenzo.
Nora’s heart stopped.
“Giovanni.”
The old man stood with his cane.
“Family.”
Lorenzo opened the box.
Inside was his mother’s engagement ring.
Nora stared at it.
Lorenzo closed the box.
“Not today.”
Giovanni frowned.
Nora blinked.
Lorenzo looked at her.
“When I ask, I want it to be because you’re ready.”
Nora’s throat tightened.
Giovanni muttered something in Italian that sounded deeply insulting.
Lorenzo smiled.
“There is one more thing.”
“What?”
Lorenzo handed Nora a newspaper.
The headline announced the Moretti family’s final exit from several criminal enterprises.
Below it was another announcement.
MORETTI ELDER CARE FOUNDATION OPENS FIRST FACILITY.
Nora looked up.
“Tomorrow?”
Lorenzo nodded.
“You’re giving the opening speech.”
Nora’s eyes widened.
“I absolutely am not.”
Giovanni smiled.
“You are.”
For once, Lorenzo and his father agreed.
Nora groaned.
And somewhere upstairs, Lily began crying.
Giovanni immediately stood.
“Baby.”
He hurried toward the door faster than his therapist allowed.
Nora laughed and followed.
May you like
She had once entered the Moretti estate believing she had nowhere else to go.
Now, for the first time, she wondered whether she had finally found somewhere worth staying.
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